


Blue Angel

by PhantomPhan16, VicenteValtieri



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Transformers - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 12:23:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14915318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomPhan16/pseuds/PhantomPhan16, https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: Grand Admiral Thrawn finds an orphan on a war torn world and becomes his guardian angel and father.





	Blue Angel

Grand Admiral Thrawn made his way through the ruins of a small town on the war torn world of Diran. Bodies of humans and Nekos, predominantly, were scattered about with his men finding only a handful of survivors. He knelt beside the body of a young kit and gently turned the little one over to find, to his shock, the kit to be alive when his blue eyes fluttered open and locked with the Chiss's own crimson eyes. He raised a small hand before passing out again.

 

Thrawn gathered him up in his arms and rushed towards the medical center.

 

It was a temporary one he had ordered be set up to deal with those who couldn't be moved far without treatment first. He passed the little one off to medics and began scouring for any survivors among the ones already rescued, asking those who were awake if they were missing a child, but none claimed the kitten he had found.

 

It seemed the little one would be an orphan.

 

When Thrawn returned hours later from searching for more survivors one of the medics approached. "Sir, no one has claimed the kitten. He's awake, however, and... well... asking for you, but he is still very weak."

 

"I'll see him, but then we'll need to return to the Chimeara with the refugees." Thrawn agreed.

 

"Yes, sir, I'll start the preparations." Thrawn nodded and made his way over to the mobile bed where the kitten later. He was bandaged on his right leg and arm but awake. He was obviously weak and fighting to stay awake, but his sapphire eyes lit up when he saw the Admiral, despite his obvious exhaustion. He was small and young, no more than 5 standard years, and no doubt he was mentally younger due to living with such horrors for probably all of his young life. Diran had been rife with civil war for a long and bloody decade, despite the best efforts of the Republic and now Empire.

 

"You should be asleep." Thrawn told the kit gently.

 

He fought to keep his heavy eyelids open and reached up with a tiny hand. Gazing at Thrawn, he uttered one word that touched the Chiss to his core. "Angel."

 

Thrawn smiled softly down at him. "Go to sleep. You'll be safe and feel better when you wake up."

 

His hand stayed up so the Admiral gently took it in his own. "Sleep, little one," he soothed and watched the kitten finally submit to his exhaustion and fall into a deep, healing sleep. The little one... thought he was an angel...

 

It was the most charming and silly little idea he had ever heard.

 

The survivors were moved to the Chimera and other ships of Thrawn's fleet to be treated and moved to a safer place. He had a feeling that before long Diran would be a place of only military and those too stubborn and foolish to leave. The kitten, of course, was moved to the Chimera, but his fate was uncertain. The foster system was hard, and for aliens in the Empire it was even harder.

 

Thrawn watched through a two-way mirror as the kitten played with a nurse. "What am I going to do with you?"

 

He was healing very well and was described by all who interacted with him as sweet but shy at first. Yet nothing made him happier than when Thrawn came to see him, however briefly. He didn't visit everyday and rarely for more than a few minutes, but it was clear this was when the kitten, who had revealed his name to be Cas, was at his happiest.

 

"I want to keep him." Starscream replied from Thrawn's shoulder, arms folded.

 

"You haven't even interacted with him yet."

 

"He's adorable! And you like him! That's enough for me." The Seeker fluffed up.

 

"Starscream-" "Come on. You come watch him everyday."

 

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we can take him in. This is a star destroyer. It's not a place for children."

 

"It's almost not really a place for Optimus and I either," he countered.

 

"Well... I suppose so, but you're automatons, and when I found you, you were grown-up. You know how to stay out of trouble." He remembered a recent incident. "...almost out of trouble."

 

"And he'll learn. Thrawn, the last stop for the remaining survivors is Coruscant before we go to the Rim. You know he won't make it in Coruscant's Foster System."

 

Thrawn stared at him, sighing. "I suppose you're right, though how I'm going to explain this one to the Emperor is beyond me."

 

"Is it true we're being assigned an ISB Agent?"

 

"Yes it is." He sighed. "All right... we'll keep him."

 

"Yay!" Starscream cheered.

 

"Go wait for me and let Optimus know."

 

Starscream launched from his shoulder and transformed, flying down the halls.

 

Thrawn took a breath and went in, calling for adoption papers to be brought to him and went in to Cas's room. The kitten jumped up and ran to him, arms up for a cuddle. He was indeed 5 but acted younger, the horrors having made him regress.

 

Thrawn pulled him into his arms. "How are you, Cas?"

 

He purred, nuzzling the Chiss. "Good! Play?"

 

"Play, yes, but first." Thrawn kissed his head. "I've decided. You're going to be staying with me from now on."

 

"With you?" "Yes, little one. Would you like that? To be my son?" He nodded eagerly. "Yes! Yes!" The Admiral smiled but mentally filed away a note to hire a therapist who could hopefully help Cas cope with what he had seen and gone through and blossom as he truly should.

 

Cas and Thrawn built a castle out of wooden blocks and defended it against an army of action figures driving fire trucks. Toys on a star destroyer tended to be a motley set.

 

They were eventually interrupted with a nurse coming in with the required papers. "The adoption papers, sir, and he's free to go with you."

 

Thrawn filled them out and signed and Cas jumped into his arms.

 

He chuckled and held the kitten close, carrying him out of the medwing.

 

Cas purred and rested against him, snuggling into his jacket.

 

He smiled as he carried his new son into his quarters. "Starscream, Optimus."

 

The two transformers threw handfuls of colored confetti as they dropped the strings and the "Welcome Home Cas!" Banner fell from the ceiling.

 

The kitten stared with wide eyes.

 

"You guys went overboard again, didn't you?" Thrawn accused.

 

They looked at each other. "Uh..."

 

"Oh, Force... What have you done?"

 

"Nothing!" Starscream pushed an ice cream cake behind the bread box. "Almost nothing at all!"

 

"Starscream.

 

"...Maybe we went a little overboard."

 

"Show me.

 

Starscream pushed the cake back out into view. It was covered in chocolate roses. Optimus showed Thrawn the macaroni and cheese he had made.

 

He sighed. "Well... do we need to invite Gilad and Max to help us eat all this?"

 

"...Maybe?" Optimus questioned.

 

"All right." Captain Gilad Pellaeon and General Max Veers were soon there. Cas tried to hide behind Thrawn and peeked out at the newcomers, ears twitching.

 

"What's the party for?" Max questioned as he helped Optimus serve the pasta.

 

"Max, Gilad, this is Cas... my new son."

 

"Hello, Cas." Gilad bent down to say hello."

 

He hid his face in Thrawn's pantleg, and Gilad and Max chuckled. Thrawn rubbed his head. "It's okay, little one. They're friends/

 

Cas peeked out again and Thrawn lifted him into a chair next to the table.

 

Max grinned. "What a handsome lad you are."

 

Cas ducked his head and blushed.

 

Thrawn smiled and kissed his head. "What do you say?" He looked shyly at Max. "Thank you."

 

"Good lad." Max set a plate in front of him and sat down. "It looks great, Optimus."

 

Cas stared at his plate then looked at Thrawn and caused the room to melt. "Daddy, what's this?"

 

"It's macaroni, darling." Thrawn kissed his head. "Try it."

 

He took a bite, and his eyes widened. "Mmm!" He began digging in. "Cas, do you know what your daddy is?" Max asked. He nodded. "Yes." "What is it?" Cas looked at Thrawn. "Daddy's an angel."

 

Max chuckled and the whole room "awwed" "Well, that may be true, but he's also a Grand Admiral."

 

"And a Chiss," Gilad asked. "That means your daddy is very powerful and special." Thrawn smiled His friends had gone into 'dad' and 'uncle' mode respectively based on their experiences with the children in their families.

 

"Okay." Cas said.

 

Thrawn poured some lemonade into a cup and set it in front of his son. "Use both hands for your cup." "Yes, Daddy."

 

Cas reached for the lemonade and drank it.

 

He jerked and made a puckered face in surprise, putting the cup down and pushing it away.

 

"Is it sour?" Thrawn took a taste.

 

Max and Gilad sighed. "Thrawn, it's lemonade of course it's sour, unless you dumped a ton of sugar into it."

 

"Well, it tastes fine to me. Would you like milk, Cas?"

 

"Please." The milk went over much better as Cas gulped it down. Starscream moved closer, and the kitten picked him up curiously.

 

"Hi." Starscream waved at him.

 

"Hi. What are you?"

 

"I'm a Seeker. My name is Starscream."

 

The kitten held him for a moment longer but setting him down.

 

Optimus was picked up next. "Hello, little one."

 

"Hi. Who are you?" "I'm Optimus, a Convoy."

 

"You're big."

 

"So are you, and you're going to get bigger."

 

"I will!" Cas nodded, hugging him.

 

He chuckled and hugged the kitten back.

 

Thrawn cut the ice cream cake after they had finished the macaroni. Starscream had chosen a cherry ice cream with chocolate cake.

 

He had chosen Cherry Amaretto ice cream, so there dark chocolate chips in every bite and pieces of frozen cherries. It was a hit with them all.

 

Thrawn chomped on one of the chocolate roses and sipped some coffee as the party wound down.

 

 

Cas was in his lap, dozing against his chest, lulled by a full stomach.

 

Starscream was curled up under the affectionately named "Old rag" on top of the child and Optimus was helping Max put away the dishes.

 

At last the little family was alone and either asleep or on the brink of it. Thrawn carried Cas, Starscream, and Optimus to his room and woke in a pile of them in the morning. Cas was pressed right up against him, half over him, head pillowed on his side.

 

Thrawn kissed his head and slipped out to get showered and dressed.

 

When he opened the door Cas was bouncing frantically in front of it and pushed past him with a whine, running for the toilet. "You should have left it open!" Starscream scolded.

 

"Why didn't any of you knock?" Thrawn questioned.

 

"We did!"

 

"I didn't hear it!"

 

"Exactly! Leave the door open or partly open next time! He nearly wet himself!"

 

"I'm sorry!"

 

He felt Cas hug him and nuzzle into his leg. He looked down at once. "Did you make it, darling?" "Yes, Daddy."

 

"Good. I'm sorry, little one."

 

He picked him up and kissed his head. "I'll leave the door open for you from now on, at least until I can get a second bathroom built."

 

"Yes, Daddy." Cas purred.

"We're going to arrive on Coruscant today, little one."

 

"What's that?" "You'll see when we get there." Thrawn set contractors to work expanding his quarters into a nearby conference room that was actually never used. They would join them and create a bedroom and bathroom for Cas.

 

Meanwhile, he and Cas went out to enjoy some downtime on Coruscant. The Emperor was expecting them in the evening, but they were ahead of schedule.

 

Cas couldn't look around fast enough but kept his hand clutching Thrawn's hand.

 

Thrawn smiled and kept hold himself. The Cybertronians were on his shoulders, being inconspicuous.

 

"Daddy, where are we going?"

 

"We're just wandering right now. Do you want to see something?"

 

".... Are there horsies?"

 

"Yes, there are horsies at the royal park."

 

"Where's that?"

 

"Well, it's at the Palace. We can go there."

 

"Please, Daddy."

 

Thrawn and Cas made their way to the royal park and watched Palpatine's Thoroughbreds playing.

 

Cas was beaming and giggling in delight. A black foal trotted over for attention.

 

The Chiss and Neko petted his nose and sides.

 

"He's pretty, Daddy."

 

"Isn't he? I wonder if he's going to be a racer."

 

"That is my hope, Thrawn." He turned and bowed as Cas darted behind him.

 

The Emperor smiled when he saw the Admiral. "You're ahead of schedule today. I wasn't expecting the Chimeara for another few hours."

 

"I was showing my new son around Coruscant."

 

"I can see. Hello, little one."

 

"...Hi."

 

"What's your name, little one?"

 

"Cas." "That's a nice name." "Thank you."

 

"This is Midnight." Palpatine patted the colt's nose.

 

"He's pretty."

 

"Thank you. He's one of my finest."

 

"I like horsies." Thrawn smiled as Cas slowly came out from behind him, little tail swishing and ears pricked up.

 

"So do I." Palpatine smiled. "And so does my daughter." He smiled across the paddock as a girl on a flea-bitten mare came riding.

 

"Though Sugarshine can be... particular about the people she likes." Thrawn picked Cas up so he couldn't be in the way.

 

The girl drew Sugarshine to a stop and slid down out of the saddle. "Hi, Father."

 

"Hello, Carnelian."

 

Carnelian wasn't that young. She had to be an older teenager. Still, she was far too young for the ISB uniform she was sporting or the officer's badge pinned to it. It was clearly new.

 

Thrawn had a brief moment of dread. Surely the Emperor wasn't sending her with them.

 

"Carnelian, this is Grand Admiral Thrawn."

 

He smiled. "And his son, young Cas."

 

"Hello." Carnelian half-waved down at Cas.

 

"Hi. Daddy." "Yes, darling?" "Um..." He whispered in Thrawn's ear. "I have to potty."

 

Thrawn nodded. "Cas and I need to go inside, Emperor. Please excuse us."

 

"Of course." He hurried in with his son.

 

Palpatine set a hand on Carnelian's shoulder and they led Sugarshine back to the stable. "How did she ride today?"

 

"Good, she actually listened today."

 

"That's very good."

 

"... You're really going through with sending me away?"

 

"We've discussed this. It will be good for you to see more of the galaxy."

 

"But this way? I'm not ready, and I don't want to." "Carnelian."

 

"No, I'm too young for this. I want to stay here."

 

"You are going with Thrawn and that is final."

 

Carnelian bowed her head. "...Fine."

 

"Good." Thrawn soon returned with Cas.

 

Sugarshine was eating a beet from Carnelian's hand when they caught up.

 

"Perhaps we could see to our business a bit sooner, Your Majesty?"

 

"Do you have a pressing engagement, Thrawn?" The Emperor raised his eyebrows.

 

He smiled a little sheepishly. "A hungry child it would see, sire."

 

"Of course. You must stay for dinner, then."

 

"It would be an honor."

 

"Come inside. It should be ready. Carnelian, why don't you get out of your uniform?"

 

 

"... I'd rather not, Father."

 

"All right then." They went inside and settled in the dining room. Dinner was soon served. Their first course was a salad made of butter lettuce and orange sections.

 

Cas didn't like the lettuce but at the orange pieces.

 

"Our mission has gone extremely well. The Pirates near Gero will not be bothering the trade routes there for some time." Thrawn reported over a beef broth soup with wheat and carrots brewed in it.

 

"Good, and the situation on Diran as I see you went there?" Thrawn glanced at Cas. "Cover your ears, baby."

 

Cas covered his ears and Carnelian looked up from her third bowl of the soup.

 

"It's nearly all soldiers fighting over a dying planet now."

 

"Force. If there are no civilians left, pull out entirely. Leave them to it."

 

"There are some, those who refuse to leave, but... perhaps it is time to withdraw."

 

"We cannot save everyone."

 

"I know, sire."

 

The next course was a salmon fillet. Carnelian ate a good quarter of it and still had room for dessert. Thrawn's mind boggled at her appetite.

 

 

Cas tore into the fish with almost as much eagerness.

 

Thrawn chuckled and served him a second helping when he finished his first. "I'll eat the rest if you get full."

 

The kit gave a happy squeal and dug in, devouring nearly all the second helping.

 

Thrawn polished it off and they had dessert, chocolate pudding. If Starscream and Optimus were here...

 

Luckily they weren't. He had sent them back to Chimera before going to the palace.

 

The pudding was delicious and Thrawn soon prepared to return to the Chimeara. "This has been a wonderful evening, Emperor, but we must return to the ship. Are there any further orders?"

 

"Only that Carnelian go with you and be under your command."

 

Thrawn looked over at the dozing girl. "Emperor, I would never doubt your wisdom, but... That does not seem wise."

 

"This is for her protection, Thrawn."

 

"To send her away from you?" Thrawn raised his eyebrows.

 

"I cannot say why, she would find a way to get the reason from you. I need you to trust me."

 

"Of course, Emperor. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Only that she likes chocolate cake and tends to amuse herself if not kept busy."

 

"... I know someone like that."

 

Palpatine chuckled. "Perhaps they will get along.”

 

"And possibly keep each other out of trouble, though the one I know will no doubt be kept out of trouble fussing over Cas."

 

"He deserves fussing." The Emperor agreed.

 

"He does. When I found him... at first I thought he was dead, but when I touched him... he opened his eyes and... well thought and still seems to think that I am an angel."

 

The Emperor smiled. "Perhaps it's time for him to go to bed. Carnelian will report tomorrow morning before you ship out."

 

"As you wish, sire." Thrawn returned to the Chimera and inspected the work the contractors had been doing.

 

They had nearly finished. The conference room had been turned into a lovely child's suite.

 

He smiled and kissed his sleeping son's head.

 

He tucked Cas into the new bed and went to his own, happy.

 

He woke in the morning to Cas tucked against him. When had he come in?

 

It hardly mattered. Thrawn snuggled him against his chest and kissed his head.

 

The kitten sleepily opened his eyes. "Daddy? Daddy, no like being alone."

 

Thrawn cuddled him. "I'm sorry, baby."

 

He stroked the little back. "We can work up to you sleeping in your bed, okay?"

 

"Okay." Cas snuggled in.

 

"Daddy." "Hmm?" "... Um... do I... have a mommy?"

 

"Hmm..." Thrawn thought. "Starscream is your mommy."

 

"You love Starscream?"

 

"Uhh..." Thrawn thought of a rampaging Optimus and shook his head. "No, but he loves you, and that makes him your Mommy."

 

"That doesn't count. Mommies love Daddies."

 

"Yes, but Daddy doesn't love anyone that way right now and Starscream is the second best thing."

 

"No one?" he asked with wide eyes.

 

"Not right now." Thrawn replied. "Perhaps later."

 

"Hope so," he yawned.

 

Thrawn chuckled and kissed his forehead. "Go back to sleep, little one. I'll get breakfast."

 

"Okay, Daddy." He curled up, wrapping his fluffy tail around himself as best he could.

 

Thrawn covered him with the blankets again and went to rouse the Cybertronians.

 

Starscream woke with fluttering wings from his place on Cas's bed. "Ah! Where-" "He came and got into bed with me, Star."

 

"Oh." Starscream stretched, wings flicking. "Breakfast?"

 

"Yes breakfast, and no talk of Mommies." "... Huh?" "Cas asked if he had a mommy."

 

"Oh. That's a topic. What brought that up?"

 

"No idea. Maybe a dream, a memory? Perhaps we'll never know."

 

"Knowledge can be overrated." Starscream stood up. "Bacon?"

 

"Sure, if you don't try to eat more than two pieces yourself and get sick again."

 

"That was ONE TIME!"

 

"With bacon. It's repeated with steak, chicken, potatoes, chips, bread-" "Okay okay!"

 

Thrawn laughed at the sulking Seeker. "You tend to get over excited."

 

Starscream sighed then nuzzled the Chiss's jaw. "But you always take care of me." "Of course I do, Stars."

 

"What am I, recycled parts?" Optimus questioned, looking up from a pan of scrambled eggs.

 

Starscream smirked. "You take care of me in different ways." "Leave it in the bedroom, you two."

 

"Why start now?"

 

"Because now we have a curious child living with us."

 

"Ah, yes. This is true."

 

Cas came out, wrapped in the blanket and dragging it along.

 

"Good morning, Cas." Thrawn smiled at him, frying the bacon.

 

He rubbed his eyes with a blanket-covered hand. "Morning, Daddy."

 

"Morning, Baby." Thrawn picked him up and kissed his head.

 

Cas snuggled into his chest and purred. "Are you hungry?" "Uh-huh."

 

"We're having bacon and eggs. Do you want some juice?"

 

"Orange?" "Yes you may have orange juice. The clothes I ordered for you should be here soon, too."

 

"Hooray!" Cas grinned.

 

He chuckled and set the kitten down in his chair. "You'll have to take a bath or shower today."

 

"Aww..." Cas's ears flattened. "Why?"

 

"Because you need to be clean. If you're not clean you'll start to stink and even get sick. You don't want that do you?" "No."

 

"Good. Don't worry, it'll be a nice shower." Thrawn assured him.

 

"By myself?" Thrawn paused. "Well... I suppose I could take a shower today too."

 

"We'll help!" Starscream volunteered.

Optimus kicked his ankle and shot him a look.

"I mean... we'll be busy!"

 

"All right. Lets eat breakfast then get clean." "Okay, Daddy." After breakfast father and son disappeared into the bathroom, and Starscream turned to his mate. "What was that for, Optimus?"

 

"You slept all night with Cas. I want to have some time with you too."

 

"I didn't actually. He went to Thrawn at some point." "That's beside the point, and anyway this is something Thrawn should probably handle on his own. I get the feeling Cas doesn't know how to properly wash himself. Beisdes... do you really want to see Thrawn naked?"

 

Starscream thought about it. "...I mean, I've seen Max naked... It's not really that big a deal, but I suppose you're right." He pushed the skillet into the sink. "I'd rather see you naked."

 

"Poor Max. I remember that. Good thing the training room was empty." "I can't believe his pants got caught like that in-between the weights." They finished the dishes and disappeared into the house Thrawn had made for them, emerging to find Thrawn and Cas out and freshly showered with Thrawn brushing out Cas's hair and tail.

 

Cas was purring and his hair was slowly drying in the warm room.

 

The Transformers smiled. "All squeaky clean?"

 

"Yep!" Cas nodded.

 

"That's good." Carnelian arrived shortly before they were scheduled to depart, and Thrawn was clearly annoyed at her lateness.

 

The young agent didn't look that impressed with him either. Her uniform was ruffled and there were leaves in her hair.

 

"In the future, Agent, you will be punctual and well put-together, no unnantural wrinkles, and clean, neat hair with cap. Are we clear?"

 

"No, I'd say we're mud."

 

He scowled. "Make yourself presentable, agent. That's an order."

 

Carnelian pulled back her lips.

 

To her annoyance the Chiss looked bored with her. "The Emperor put you under my command, agent. Here you are not a princess, you are an agent under my authority, and as such you will follow orders like any other agent would. If you didn't want to take orders, you chose the wrong line of work."

 

"You act like I chose this. My father put this uniform on me to give you some method of control. I was grooming myself for the Independent Spec Ops division, but there's some nonsense about needing to earn the rank of Commander beforehand and that means being on a ship for a set number of years. So, let's come to an agreement: You stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours."

 

"Not happening, agent. Not in my fleet, but you are welcome to run to Lord Vader. He will be even less tolerant of you, I'm sure, and far more heavy handed."

 

"Vader and I understand each other. Namely, that I'm a fluid, and the more he clenches his fist, the more I slip out and away. I would rather be on the Executor: More action." And with that, she slid past him and vanished.

 

Thrawn growled low in his throat. She had no place in his fleet acting like that.

 

Starscream stared after her. "...Where did she go?"

 

"I don't know and frankly I don't care."

 

"No, literally, where did she go? She went ten feet and vanished."

 

"I saw, Starscream. The Emperor told me she had powers that can't be explained."

 

"Weird." The Seeker flicked his wings. "Anyway, I was looking at Cas's medical chart, and I think I deduced his birthday."

 

 

"Oh really? When?"

 

"Two weeks from now." Starscream explained. "I set aside some time in the calendar, if you want to give him a little party."

 

"Two weeks! That's hardly enough time to put something together. He'll be... six?" "Yes."

 

"Well, we need to get him a present, books, something!"

 

"Ask him what he would like, Thrawn." "Where is he now?" "In the pool with Max." "What?!" Starscream shook his ringing helm. "Relax, Max isn't gonna let him drown."

 

"Yeah, but... He's so little!"

 

"He's six, Thrawn! You take 6 month olds to the pool!"

 

"You what?!" Starscream smiled. It seemed like Thrawn was one of the over-protective first-time parents. The Admiral hurried to the pool room. There were several large pools for leisure and training. Max was swimming with Cas on his back.

 

Cas was enjoying himself, ears perked and tail twitching.

 

"Hold your breath, kitten." "Maximilian Veers, don't you dare!" Thrawn bellowed.

 

Max met his eyes, gave him a look, and dove.

 

When he surfaced Thrawn was purple. "Daddy mad?" Cas asked, his ears pinning back.

 

"No, just paranoid and delusional." Max replied.

 

He looked at his friend. "Calm down, Thrawn. Join us. Come on, you know I'd never put him in danger."

 

Thrawn huffed. "You could have asked."

 

"You were busy, and he gave me the big, sad eyes."

 

"Ah. The eyes of power." Starscream leapt in.

 

"Daddy, come swim!" Cas pleaded.

 

"All right, all right." Thrawn finally agreed.

 

He went and changed into a swimsuit and joined them in the pool. Max passed the kitten to him, and Starscream climbed up to the General's ear. "Cas's sixth birthday is in two weeks. Maybe floaties and pool toys would be good to get him."

 

"Really? I'll have to try. It's a little late for recquisitions for that time period, though."

 

"It's worth a try, and we're bound to be near some planet in two weeks, right?"

 

"Not really. Shore leave has to be scheduled. We have regulations, rules, an agenda, and a schedule to keep. We're scheduled to spend the next month in space."

 

"I meant for possible orders."

 

"No, that would mean we would need to take on shuttles. There's no time to get the paperwork through."

 

"Oh." He sighed. "We'll make it special for him either way, Star, don't worry."

 

"Yeah... I know..." The Seeker flopped on his back. "It just stinks that he won't get presents."

 

Max looked over at the giggling kitten as Thrawn spun him carefully around in the water and sighed. "I'll find a way for him to get presents. He deserves a good and proper birthday after everything."

 

"Yeah." Starscream nodded. "...Maybe Optimus and I can make something for him."

 

"Maybe." Cas coughed, and Thrawn patted his back. "Careful, baby!"

 

Cas nodded and leaned into his chest.

 

"Are you okay?" "Uh-huh."

 

"Tired?"

 

He nodded, and Thrawn carried him out of the pool. "Come on then, my little catfish. Time to dry off."

 

Starscream and Max played a bit more before coming to join them. "Have you thought of schooling yet?"

 

"Not yet. I was considering getting him a tutor soon, though, but I want him to adjust to life with us first."

 

"Reasonable. Droid or human?"

 

"Probably human."

 

"Better than the alternative."

"Hey!" Starscream protested.

 

"I meant a tutor droid. Those things are the most boring, tortuous things to put a child through."

 

"Yeah, well... Apology accepted. Optimus and I could teach him, though."

 

"You could start, but I would like to get him a professional tutor, Star."

 

"I was going to be a professor of engineering before the war."

 

"That doesn't make you a tutor, Star, but as I said you may start teaching him. I'll hire a tutor when I think he's ready for full schooling."

 

"All right, all right." The Seeker sulked.

 

Thrawn finished brushing Cas's hair. "You need a haircut, kitten."

 

Cas looked at himself in the mirror. "But I look fine."

 

"Yes, but your hair is almost your eyes and is pretty long. Uncle Max and I don't have long hair." Max smirked. "You used to." "Not by choice, I was somewhere that I couldn't get it cut."

 

"It looked good. Kind of a conan the barbarian thing, but with blue skin."

 

"Oh hush you. You're not helping." Cas, however, had perked up. "Uncle Max, you think Daddy is pretty?" Max laughed. "No, kiddo, your daddy isn't pretty. He's handsome. Women are pretty, and men are handsome."

 

"That's sexist and insulting." Starscream, who was both a man and gorgeous, pointed out.

 

"It's also an easy concept to grasp for a child," Max fired back.

 

"Cas, your Father is both handsome and pretty." Starscream corrected. "So call him what you like."

 

Thrawn frowned. "I think in regards to myself, at least, I prefer Max's wording." Thrawn was tall, strong, muscular, chisled, and almost painfully handsome, especially around humans with his sharp features, roman nose, high forehead, azure skin without blemish, crimson eyes, with every part of his eye a shade of red, no white or black, and his blue-black hair almost neat and short. He was broader than most of his men, though not by so much that it was noticeable until he standing right next to someone else. He was fit and trim with no unnatural or feminine curve. Max was sure that were Thrawn human women would faint in his presence.

 

Starscream examined his nails. "Whatever. I'm not so picky. Praise is praise."

 

Thrawn nodded and tied Cas's hair back in a neat tail. "I suppose."

 

"No, it's a definite." Starscream purred. "Now, if you'll excuse me... I need to find my raison d'etre and make him praise me a little bit."

 

The Seeker took off, and the Admiral sighed. "I swear he's part cat." "Daddy." "Hmm?" "Can we play with blocks?"

 

"Certainly. Shall we defend or seige the castle today?"

 

"Not castle. Skyscraper!" "You want to build a... skyscraper?" Cas nodded eagerly.

 

"All right. We'll need to make it tall..."

 

His son nodded, little body squirming with glee before he turned to Max. "Uncle Max come play too?" Max paused while toweling his hair. "Uh...."

 

"Yes. Uncle Max should play." Thrawn gave him a syrupy grin.

 

"Oh why not? Maybe between the three of us we can build it at tall as your daddy." "Yes! Tall as Daddy! Tall as Daddy!"

 

"All right, tall as me." They set to work.

 

It took them close to an hour of falling and rebuilding until their block tower came to Thrawn's chest without falling.

 

Max held his breath and placed the last block.

 

The tower remained standing.

 

"Yahoo!" The General cheered.

 

"Yay!" Cas squealed. Thrawn smiled. "Okay, you can knock it down when you're ready, baby."

 

Cas nodded, clapping his hands.

 

He darted it and knocked down a good chunk of the tower, scuttling to Thrawn when several blocks hit him in the head and one even in the face.

 

"Oh, poor baby." Thrawn scooped him up.

 

Max came over. "Lets see, kiddo." Cas turned to him, and Max peppered his face and head with noisy kisses, making the kit giggle.

 

Cas had a bump on his forehead.

 

"Thrawn, we've got a wounded soldier here."

 

"Oh, my, that won't do."

 

"Go take care of him, I'll clean up here."

 

Thrawn carried Cas into his bathroom and brought out a first aid kit.

 

He gently dabbed the bump with medicine.

 

"Feel better, baby?"

 

"Yes, Daddy." He picked him up and snuggled him. "My brave little warrior.

 

Cas purred and cuddled him back.

 

"Love you, Daddy."

 

"I love you too, baby."

 

As the days passed Carnelian mostly avoided Thrawn, but she listened as word spread through the ranks of Cas's birthday. The men aboard the Chimera were fiercely loyal to the Grand Admiral, and as these days passed most of them who had an interaction with him also had an interaction with his new, little shadow. At first Thrawn had tried to leave Cas with Starscream and Optimus while he was on duty, and it had ended in tears and desperate clinging upon his return that hadn't ended until the kitten had fallen asleep. It seemed that an extended separation would not be possible, so as long as Cas behaved and was fairly quiet the Chiss allowed him to follow him around until they could work up to be apart. In all honesty he didn't blame Cas for being so clingy. It made sense after all the little one had gone through.

 

It was fine... until the Princess had a space-sickness breakdown. At first, it was mostly harmless. The radar began picking up fluctuations and the internal scanners focused on Carnelian's quarters. Then, random sections of the ship began experiencing zero gravity.

 

After over a week Thrawn had no choice but order an early leave and land on the garden world of Cecelia that they were closest to.

 

The Princess raced off the ship so fast, no one could track her. But at least the emergency leave gave them a chance to shop for Cas.

 

Max, Thrawn, and Gilad agreed to the three days they would be docked, hoping that was more than long enough for Carnelain to recover, would be split between them, giving each of them a chance to shop and do something with Cas respectively.

 

"I can't believe she'd never been on a ship for this long before." Max complained. "I know there's a transition phase before you get used to it, but putting a powerful person on a warship without going through the acclimation? That's just negligence."

 

"Take it up with the Emperor, Max," Thrawn said. They were currently shopping while Gilad, Starscream, and Optimus had Cas at a maze theme park for the day.

 

"I just might! Her powers went off during a shooting exercise! It was just luck that no one had unsafed their rifles yet!"

 

"If it happens again I'll send her back to Coruscant with my apologies to His Majesty, but she is here on his orders."

 

"Hmph. I get the feeling she wants to go back." Max picked up a board book.

 

"Good point."

 

"This is cute. The Very Hungry Catterpillar."

 

Thrawn looked at it and smiled. "He'd love that. He's been asking for stories every night, and we've been trying to find children's stories on the HoloNet, so books is a good choice.

 

"I'll get him this set then." Max picked up the Children's Classics.

 

"That's perfect," Thrawn said. He moved to the coloring books and set of felt, coloring posters, selecting a few boxes of colored pencils.

 

"Thank you." Max put it in his basket.

 

"Should we all do something together on day three?" "We could go to the beach," the general suggested.

 

"That sounds fun." Thrawn agreed.

 

"Good. Wonder how Gil's handling the kitten."

 

"Probably doing just fine."

 

Gilad was walking through a maze of fountain walls with Cas on his back.

 

"Having fun, kitten?"

 

"Yeah!" he chirped, tail flicking.

 

"That's great." Gilad ducked beneath an arch.

 

"Uncle Gil." "Hmm?" "Does Daddy like Uncle Max?"

 

"Uncle Max wishes." Gilad muttered under his breath.

 

"Uncle Max likes Daddy?" Note to self, Neko hearing is better than a human's.

 

"Uhh... Kitten, you shouldn't tell your Daddy I said that. Uncle Max wouldn't like it.

 

"Why? Why doesn't Uncle Max tell Daddy?"

 

"Look, Kitten, grown-up life is complicated. Just don't mention it."

 

"Okaaaaay." He smiled. "Come on, lets get out this maze and get some food, huh?" "Burgers!" "Okay, burgers it is!"

 

Cas was asleep by the time they made it back to the Chimeara.

 

Thrawn took him carefully from his friend, along with the Transformers. "How was he, Gilad?"

 

The second day of leave had Thrawn and Max with Cas while Gilad and the Transformers went shopping. They were walking along when they came upon an animal shelter, and Cas darted in with Thrawn and Max hurrying after. The Chiss caught his son. "Cas, you can't run off like that. If you want to go somewhere you tell us and ask if we can go." "I'm sorry, Daddy."

 

"Well, now that we're here. I suppose we can peek around."

 

The kit beamed and led them through the shelter, with workers asking if they needed help. "No, we're just looking thank you." Cas happily pet some puppies and kittens, and Thrawn was glad he didn't ask for one. Then came something he didn't expect. They went out to where some cats were having time out of their cages, and a huge white, long haired tom cat sauntered towards his son. He had never seen a cat so large. It was over a foot tall and twice as long. Under it's snowy fur Thrawn could tell the cat was all muscle. Whatever hierarchy the cats here had this tom was near if not at the top, and he was closing in on the Neko kitten.

 

Thrawn tensed, but Cas was relaxed and giggled as the cat approached.

 

The huge feline rubbed against him and began purring. The worker nearby looked like she had just been hit with a frying pan and came over. "Sir, is that your son?"

 

"Yes..." Thrawn replied.

 

"Oh my..." "Miss, is something wrong?" Max asked. "No, it's just... Nimbus has never acted that way with anyone before, not even other Nekos who have come around. He's always been... distant."

 

"Well... Wow." Thrawn sighed.

 

Cas was now sitting down, and Nimbus was in his lap, looking utterly content. The kit looked up at Thrawn, and he immediately knew what was coming. "Can we get him, Daddy? Please?"

 

"Cas, we can't have a cat. We live on a star ship."

 

"Why not, Daddy?" "Yeah why not?" Max chimed in.

 

"Because we live on a military ship and there are regulations for these things!"

 

"Yeah, regulations where a pet cannot exceed a certain size and must be approved by you or another commanding officer," Max grined.

 

"Max!"

 

"What? It's true, and big as that furball is he's still under the size limit. Come on, a cat would do better on a ship than a dog anyway."

 

Thrawn sighed. "Oh, all right!"

 

"Yay!" Max took Cas to the shop that was joined with the shelter to pick out things for Nimbus as Thrawn filled out the forms. They had a cat tree condo, a large litter box, a water tower, a food tower, scratching posts, and toys by the time he was finished. Nimbus was surprisingly calm in the carrier and the ride back to the Chimera. Starscream and Optimus were on the table having a snack when they came in. "What is all that?" Starscream asked. Thrawn set the carrier down and opened. Nimbus strode out unafraid.

 

Starscream fluffed up his plating and flared his wings.

 

"Star, what's wrong?" Cas asked.

 

Starscream growled up at the cat.

 

"Starscream, what's the matter with you?" asked Thrawn as the Maine Coon explored his new home. Curry and Snoots were as unphased by him as he was by them.

 

"You brought a thing. Into my home." The Seeker was really angry. You could tell.

 

"We brought a cat into OUR home."

 

"It's an INTRUDER! And you bought it without asking me!"

 

"Stop being mean!" Cas yelled.

 

Starscream hissed and deflated, slinking off into his nest to sulk.

 

Optimus went after him. "Star, it's a cat not a strange Seeker. A pet."

 

"I'm the resident cat!"

 

"You're a Seeker, more than a cat, love."

 

"...I know."

 

"Give it a chance. For Cas."

 

"Hmph. If it sheds on my welcome mat, it's not going to be a happy cat."

 

The evening after was uneventful. Nimbus explored and played with Cas chasing a dangling fish toy off a plastic stick until the kit was asleep. Thrawn lay his son in his bed and went to do some paperwork. He was halfway through when Nimbus suddenly jumped into his lap. Until now the big cat hadn't been very affectionate with him, though he had allowed the Chiss to pet him.

 

"Oof! You're heavy." Thrawn complained to the cat.

 

Bright green eyes looked at him. "Mrreow."

 

"Get off, I'm working."

 

Nimbus jumped onto the desk and sat there, watching him. "What?" The big cat just purred.

 

"You're not helping. I need my desk."

 

He glanced at the chrono. It was almost 2 in the morning. "Forget it. I can finish it tomorrow." When he woke on the third and final day of leave, beach day, he had everyone in bed with him. Cas was snuggled into his chest, Star and Optimus were in Cas's arms, and Nimbus was pressed against Cas's back, purring, with his head resting against Thrawn's arm.

 

Thrawn sighed and stroked them all.

 

Cas nestled closer. "Noooooo, Daddyyyyy. Sleeeeeep," he whined.

 

"Wake up, baby. Beach day."

 

The Transformers popped up and darted to their house. Cas pouted at the loss and determinedly snuggled right up against his father's chest, fighting every extra second of sleep he could get.

 

"Come on, Cas... Even Starscream is excited."

 

"Sleepy,"

 

"Cas... I love you."

 

He nuzzled the Admiral's chest. "Love you, Daddy."

 

"I love you." Thrawn began tickling him.

 

The kit squealed, and Nimbus watched them calmly as the little one laughed and tried to get away.

 

"Come back!" Thrawn called, chasing him.

 

Cas darted into his room and under his bed. As Thrawn's footsteps hit the floor, something changed as the kitten had a memory of hiding during the war. When Thrawn dropped to retrieve his son the little one was in a ball, his tail puffed up, his eyes dilated, and his breathing come fast like he was running. He was lost in the terror of the past.

 

Thrawn reached for him. "Cas? Kitten? What's wrong?"

 

He let out a very cat-like yowl that brought the Transformers and the newly arrived Max and Gilad running to the bedroom. "Cas, it's okay. Baby, it's Daddy."

 

Cas crawled into his arms, sobbing. "Make them go away."

 

"Who, baby?" "Bad men." Thrawn held him close. "Shh, there are no bad men here. It's Uncle Max and Uncle Gil. See? You're safe, my darling. Daddy won't let anyone hurt you."

 

Cas shivered, staring at them all.

 

Max led them out so it was just Thrawn, and Nimbus walked by into the bedroom, cooing and mewing to the Neko.

 

Thrawn held out a hand, inviting the cat close.

 

He nestled in and raised up on his hindlegs, supporting himself with his front paws on Thrawn's chest, nuzzling Cas and purring soothingly.

 

Cas slowly calmed down.

 

He blinked and looked almost confused for a moment. "Daddy?"

 

"Yes, baby?"

 

He looked around then back at Thrawn. "What happened?"

 

"You got scared, baby. That's all."

 

The kitten nestled in, wrapping his arms around his father's neck. "Come on, lets get ready to go, hmm?" "Okay."

 

Thrawn picked him up and nuzzled him.

 

He carried the kit out where the others were waiting.

 

Starscream and Optimus had packed a lunch and a beach kit into a bag.

 

"Feel better, kiddo?" Max asked. "Uh-huh."

 

"Great! Come on. I can't wait til you see the beach."

 

"But, Uncle Max." "What?" "I gotta brush my teeth first."

 

"Okay, but hurry."

 

"Max, we have all day," Gilad chuckled. Cas brushed his teeth and looked at up Thrawn. "Daddy?" "Yes, baby?" "Do you like Uncle Max?"

 

"Why do you ask?"

 

"Do you?" he pressed.

 

"Yes. He's a friend and colleague."

 

"... Just a friend?"

 

"Cas, why do you ask?"

 

"Um..." "Did Uncle Max say something?" Cas shook his head. "What then?" ".... No 'posed to tell..." he said quietly.

 

"Cas, what happened?" Thrawn knelt in front of him.

 

His heart hammered in his chest. Had Max done something? He didn't want to believe it, but hearing those words from his little boy had him imagining the worst. "Uncle Gil said Uncle Max likes you."

 

"..." That was not what he expected.

 

Cas's ears were drooping. "Uncle Gil said not to tell."

 

"Well, it's not a bad secret and I did make you. This isn't your fault."

 

"Don't tell, Daddy. Please."

 

"It's all right, Cas. I won't tell. I promise."

 

He kissed the little head. "Come on, give Daddy a smile and big hug."

 

Cas smiled and hugged the larger Chiss, who lifted him up in his arms.

 

"Oh what a good hug. Best hug."

 

Thrawn kissed his head. "Let's go to the beach."

 

The beach was fairly busy, and Cas clung to his father's hand, looking around with wide eyes.

 

Thrawn smiled down at him and they walked down to the water.

 

The kitten was in awe of the ocean and hopped in the waves, giggling with delight.

 

Thrawn chased after him, racing through the surf.

 

Cas laughed as they ran, though Thrawn was careful not to truly out-distance his son.

 

When they reached a jetty, they stopped to look into the tide pools.

 

"Don't touch anything, baby, there may be octopus here, and they're not always safe to touch."

 

Cas nodded, peering down into the crevice at the waving anemones.

 

"Daddy, can we catch fish?" "Well I've never fished before, baby, but I bet Uncle Max has. Maybe he'll teach you if you ask him nicely when we get back to our spot."

 

"Okay." Cas agreed, standing up.

 

They made their way back to find the Transformers digging away happily, and Max and Gilad were sipping water. "Uncle Max, can you fish?" "Fish? Hmm, I dunno, kiddo. What do I get for fishing?" he asked teasingly. Cas hugged him, snuggling into him with big, pleading eyes. "Pleeeeeease." Max smiled. "Oh how can I say no?"

 

Max taught Cas how to fish from the jetty with a handline. "There are lots of fish, right along here."

 

Thrawn watched them with a smile. Max's own parenting experience made him invaluable, and Cas seemed to adore him and he adored Cas.

 

The General caught a Sheepshead and had Cas hold it up for a picture.

 

"Too bad Max isn't a woman." Thrawn blinked and looked down at Starscream. "Whyyyy?" he drawled, confused. "Then he'd be a good mom for Cas. You know he would." "Seriously?" Gilad was now giving the Seeker an odd look as well.

 

"What? He needs a Carrier." Starscream flicked his wings.

 

"Well yes but... seriously?"

 

"What?!" The Seeker threw his servos up. "We all know, okay!"

 

"Know what?"

 

"About you. And Max."

 

"What are you talking about, Starscream? We're friends."

 

"We know you like each other! And you're thick as a load of bricks!"

 

He glanced at Gilad and sighed. "I know Max likes me. Gilad, don't be angry, but Cas told me. Well actually he asked if I liked Max, then wouldn't tell me why he was asking until I made him."

 

"I hope he wasn't too upset. I just didn't want to cause trouble."

 

"I understand, Gilad, and he was a little upset but more because he thought you'd be upset with him for telling me."

 

"Well, I'm not." Gilad stated. "And I'll tell the kitten myself."

 

"Good. He was worried." "Thrawn, don't change the subject," Starscream said.

 

"There is no subject. Max is a friend."

 

"Keep telling yourself that." Cas squealed as he pulled in a fish, and Thrawn hurried over. "What did you catch?"

 

It was a croaker, making helpless noises as it flopped.

 

"Hold it up, kiddo, so we can take a picture. Thrawn, move in with him," Max said, holding up his little camera.

 

The Croaker didn't like being held up, but Cas was beaming.

 

Thrawn was smiling proudly as Max snapped the picture.

 

Max helped Cas remove the hook and release the Croaker.

 

He giggled and bounced happily. "Daddy, did you see?!" Thrawn smiled. "I saw, baby. Good job."

 

Cas purred, hugging him.

 

"What a good little fisherman. Are you getting hungry, baby?"

 

"Yes!" Cas's ears perked.

 

"Then lets get some food. We packed sandwiches." "Turkey?" "Yes, turkey and cheese and tomato, just the way you like it."

 

Cas raced back down the beach to where they had set up camp.

 

"Cas, wait! There's too many- and he's gone." "Come on." Max and Thrawn rushed after him, calling his name. Cas meanwhile stopped and around. "Daddy? Uncle Max?" He couldn't see anyone familiar. "Daddy!"

 

"Cas! Baby, Cas!"

 

A hand grabbed the kitten's and started to pull him away. He turned, seeing a Neko woman, but something about her made him even more frightened as he began struggling. "DADDY!!!!"

 

Thrawn called out. "Cas! Where are you?"

 

"DADDY, HELP ME!!!" People were starting to take notice now as the kitten screamed, and began putting it together from the blue alien called frantically for a child and began pointing him in the direction until he broke through and spotted a Neko woman pulling his son up the stairs that led down to the sand.

 

"Cas! Let him go!"

 

"Daddy!" He charged up the stairs, and the woman pushed Cas behind her. "Get away from us! I'll call the police!" she screeched. "You have my son!"

 

"He's my son!"

 

"What's going on?" It seemed someone else had already called the police. "She's trying to kidnap my son."

 

"Daddy, please!" Cas was trying to get to Thrawn.

 

The woman held him back. Tommy, that's enough." "I'm not Tommy! Let me go! Daddy!"

 

"Officer, please. This is my son, Cas."

 

"That's enough! Tommy, this is not your daddy! Do you understand me?!" She backhanded Cas before anyone could react. The kitten wailed and curled into a trembling ball where he had fall, similar to his episode this morning.

 

Thrawn tackled the woman away from his son.

 

Max and Gilad came running now as well. "Gentlemen, please stay back." "Cas!" "U-Uncle M-Max."

 

Max didn't stop until he had Cas in his arms.

 

The little one clung to him, sobbing. "Shhh, kiddo. It's okay. Uncle Max had got you."

 

Cas nodded, ears and tail puffed out in distress.

 

Thrawn was pulled off the woman, who was screaming at him and clawing at his face, clearly deranged. Gilad meanwhile was giving another officer their i.d.'s. His reaction would have been comical in any other situation. "Uh, we better let them go. They're Imperial military high-ups." "What?" Gilad pointed to each in turn. "Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn. Imperial General Maximilian Veers. Imperial Captain Gilad Pellaeon, at your service, officers. The Admiral recently adopted Cas after we extracted him among many others from the civil war on Diran."

 

"Oh!" He backed off. "...We'll take care of her, then... You can go on your way."

 

"Thank you, gentleman." Thrawn gathered Cas to his chest. "We're leaving. We'll find something else to do or go back to the ship.

 

"Of course... Uh... Have a good rest of the day."

 

They left, their things already packed up. Cas was shaking against his father, mewing now rather than crying.

 

Thrawn soothed and kissed his head. The two Cybertronians, who had been left quite behind, cuddled him gently.

 

Cas finally calmed down in the speeder, and Max pulled in to McDonalds. "Come on, we need a treat after that. There's a playplace inside if Cas wants to play. Lunch is on me this time."

 

"Good idea."

Gilad replied, opening the door. "Come on, baby."

 

He climbed out and came to take Gilad's hand as Thrawn got out with the Transformers. They went inside and studied the menu, with Gilad reading the kid's menu off to Cas. "We can always get you something else if you're still hungry after the kid's meal, kitten." "Nuggets?" "Okay. Do you want apples or french fries?" "Fries."

 

Max put in the order and they settled in a booth near the playplace.

 

Cas watched the children play before slowly slipping off Gilad's lap and going to climb in the tunnels and go down the slide to where Thrawn waited to swing him up and around before doing it all again.

 

By the third swing, he was giggling.

 

Max came with their orders. He had a Big Mac meal, Thrawn had a Quarter Pounder with cheese, meal, Gilad had a fish fillet meal, there was an order of chicken nuggets for Optimus and Starscream to share, and Cas's kid's meal. He watched Cas play for a few minutes. "Cas, Thrawn, food's here." Cas darted over and climbed into the chair, nuzzling Starscream and Optimus as they sat on the table.

 

Starscream looked down at his own chicken nugget. "...Interesting. It looks like a boot."

 

"It kind of does," Mac chuckled. "Uncle Max' what's that?" "A Big Mac. Here, kitten." He offered Cas the huge burger, and the kitten took a bite. "Mmm!"

 

Max chuckled. "Maybe we should get you one next time."

 

"That's too much, Max." "They have a Junior Mac, Thrawn. He could probably eat one of those no problem." Cas finished his food but was still hungry so Max got him another order of fries and a Rolo McFluffy, with a second for himself, a Reese's for Gilad, and an Oreo for Thrawn, with Starscream and Optimus sharing Cas's ice cream.

 

"I love caramel." Starscream declared.

 

"Me too!" Cas chirped.

 

The Seeker flicked his wings and nuzzled the kitten.

 

He giggled and purred. Between the kitten and Transformers they finished most of the ice cream, giving the last little bit to Max. "We'll have to take him to Wendy's next," the General grinned. "I think we should do Subway next," Gilad countered. "Ooh, that's a good one." "Subway?" Thrawn asked. "It's a sandwich chain."

 

"You're all weird." Starscream stated. "The best is clearly Red Lobster."

 

"We're trying places none of you have been, Star."

 

"Yeah, but that's no fun."

 

"Sure it is. Finding new places you like and new foods you like to try to recreate when we're not on leave."

 

"But it's nice to have something familiar too."

 

"True." "Why don't we let Cas choose next time?" Thrawn suggested.

 

"Why not?" Max replied.

 

"Ready to go. Cas is already snoozing." The kitten was curled into Thrawn's chest, fast asleep.

 

"I'd like to get back and rest too." Optimus yawned.

 

Their return was met the cutest pet pile ever. On the couch lay Nimbu, Snoots, and Cutty in a fuzzy, fluffy ball that Thrawn had to take a picture of.

 

Starscream and Optimus couldn't resist lying on top of the fluff ball as well.

 

Nimbus lifted his majestic head to look at them then at Thrawn and Cas before going back to sleep.

 

Thrawn rolled his eyes and carried Cas to bed.

 

The next morning he woke to Cas trying to nestle close. He smiled into the pillow and tucked into himself. Cas pushed and prodded, trying to find a weak spot so he could curl into his father's warm.

 

Thrawn shifted slightly.

 

Cas whined softly, and he prepared to uncurl should his son start to cry. Then his kitten huffed and crawled onto his back and sprawled over the Chiss's strong, broad back.

 

Thrawn almost laughed into the pillow.

 

He used his tail to pull the blanket back into his reach and pulled it back up. The Admiral smiled, amused and proud of his son finding another way around the 'problem'.

 

After a few moments, he began carefully turning over.

 

Cas squeaked as he was slid onto the mattress, and Thrawn laughed. "Good morning, baby."

 

Cas groaned. "Not morning, daddy."

 

"I'm afraid so, baby, but that means it's another day to play and have fun." ".... Swim?"

 

"Yes, let's go swim." Thrawn agreed.

 

"Nimbus?" "I don't think Nimbus will swim, but I suppose we can take him with us. He'll probably just watch." After going about their morning routine, with Thrawn grateful he didn't have a morning shift today, they headed to the pools. Max was training and agreed to join them shortly, so they got in. Starscream and Optimus paddled around as Cas rode on Thrawn's back. Nimbus watched for a few minutes before shocking Thrawn by jumping in and swimming around with them.

 

It turned out, cats like Nimbus actually enjoyed water.

 

Max laughed as he joined them. "Looks like he's having as much fun as Cas. Speaking of, Thrawn, we should start his swimming lessons soon."

 

"I have some ideas." Thrawn agreed.

 

"Good." "Daddy, can we go under?"

 

"Okay, baby." Thrawn agreed. "Make a bubble."

 

Cas took a deep breath and held it.

 

"Good." Thrawn took him under and spun them both before coming up.

 

They surfaced, and Cas giggled.

 

"I love you." Thrawn smiled.

 

"Love you, too, Daddy." "So guess what special day it is next Thursday." "What?"

 

"Your birthday!" Thrawn bounced him into the air.

 

"... Why's that special?"

 

"Because it's a celebration of you."

 

He looked confused, and Thrawn's heart broke. "A birthday, kiddo, is when we have a party and cake, and you get presents on your birthday. We also sing a special song to you, and you blow out candles on a cake and make a birthday wish."

 

"Oh... Cool...?"

 

Max chuckled and scooped him up. "You'll like, I promise." "Okay. Uncle Max." "Yeeees?" He giggled, and the general grinned. "Um.... could I spend the night with you sometime?" "If your daddy says it's okay."

 

"It's fine with me." Thrawn smiled.

 

"Well then you want to bunk with me tonight, kiddo?" "Yeah!" Nimbus swam over and onto Thrawn's shoulders, balancing perfectly.

 

"I suppose Nimbus will be with me." Thrawn stroked his head.

 

He purred and mewed softly.

 

They climbed out and dried off soon after.

 

The day passed fairly calmly until evening. Thrawn was taking Cas to Max's quarters and encountered Carnelian.

 

The princess had stayed mostly out of the way. Right now she was standing on the roof, picking at something.

 

He sighed. "Agent!" he barked.

 

Carnelian jumped, banged her head on the floor, and sprawled out on the ceiling. "What?!"

 

"What do you think you're doing up there?"

 

"Uhh... Investigating something weird."

 

"Such as?"

 

"A miniature camera in the officers hall."

 

"And you didn't report it?"

 

"I just found them."

 

"Then send a report, do not attempt to deal with them yourself."

 

"It's not a problem. I've collected six. It's like an easter egg hunt. Two were in your quarters. One of them was in that house thing in your cabinet."

 

"You were in my quarters?"

 

"I was looking for cameras!"

 

"I don't care if you were looking for the Rebellion. You will follow proticol on my ship. My quarters are off-limits unless invited or ordered in." He turned to the shadows. "Rukh, see if there's a scent on the cameras you can trace."

 

Rukh sniffed the cameras in Carnelian's hand and mused. "Hmm... It is a man who placed them, but who I do not know. There is a very strong, mechanical scent that makes it difficult to track."

 

"Find out what you can and investigate the untouched camera. Agent, do not get in his way." Cas pressed against Thrawn as Rukh passed by. He had only seen the Noghiri once before and was very afraid of him.

 

Carnelian huffed. "I'm BORED."

 

"Then perhaps you shouldn't be in this career. When things are "boring" that's a good thing because it means that there's nothing wrong for you to have to fix at the moment. Sleep, read, watch tv, do something besides mess around my ship."

 

He noticed that her hair was becoming a rat's nest as well.

 

"And keep your hair to regulation neatness. Now excuse us." He took Cas's hand and led the kitten around her.

 

Carnelian stuck out her tongue at his back and stomped off, making the lights rattle.

 

She heard the kitten cry out in fear. "Daddy!"

 

At last, work. She whirled, ready to murdalize the person who had dared invade her ship.

 

There was no one, and Thrawn was glaring crimson daggers at her.

 

"What? Where's the attacker?" Carnelian questioned.

 

"There is no attacker, Agent. He's afraid of you and what you're causing."

 

"What?!"

 

"The way you act, the things you make happen, like the lights rattling just now. It scares my son."

 

"..." Carnelian gave him an incredulous stare, tapped a foot, and free-fell through the ceiling.

 

She stopped just above to listen, though. "Cas? Baby?" "She's scary, Daddy."

 

"I'm sure she doesn't mean to be."

 

"I don't like her. Make her go away, Daddy."

 

"I can't do that, baby. The Emperor sent her with us."

 

He picked Cas up. "Come on, Uncle Max is waiting for you."

 

Carnelian curled up in her vent to sulk. Stupid Thrawn. Stupid Father, sending her here. She knew when she wasn't wanted.

 

After dropping Cas off with Max Thrawn opened a communications with Palpatine. He bowed as the Emperor appeard. "Forgive the call, Your Majesty, but I do not think this arrangement is working out. Agent... Princess Carnelian is brash, uncooperative, has no regard for authority, and is disruptive. Already she forced an unscheduled three day leave due to being spacesick. My men are uneasy around her, and my son is terrified by her."

 

"Spacesick? Why was she spacesick? Did you pass through turbulence?" The Emperor questioned.

 

"No, sire, we did not."

 

"Too close to a nebula with shields down?"

 

Thrawn shook his head, a little confused now.

 

"Then she wasn't spacesick."

 

"Then she purposefully was disruptive and even risking lives when her powers went off during drills. As well as violating my own privacy in entering and searching my quarters for miniature camera she found and did not report until I found her on the ceiling trying to retrieve one. The men are completely uneasy around her, and my son is terrified being anywhere near her."

 

"Have you given her an assignment? Has she tracked down something that doesn't belong? Have you interacted with her at all since she arrived on your ship, or are you leaving my 13 year old daughter to her own devices?" The Emperor drawled, leaning on one elbow. "Because if you are, then I am not surprised at all that the net result is chaos, as it will be with any teenager you neglect."

 

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, a teenager does not being in service yet. She has also avoided me since her arrival."

 

"My daughter is highly capable, within certain parameters. She thinks outside the box and responds with ruthless efficiency to threats. The trade-off is that she is a maverick, rebel, and stubbornly immature."

 

"And I, Your Majesty, have precious little patience for it, especially now that it frightens my own child, a child already damaged by his experiences on Diran.:

 

"What do you want me to do, Thrawn? If it becomes a question of keeping my daughter safe and alive or your child psychologically stable, I must say, you know my response."

 

"She claims she and Lord Vader have an "understanding" perhaps she would be better suited aboard the Lady Ex."

 

"Unacceptable. Her "understanding" with Lord Vader is extremely detrimental to her mental health. I gave you a problem, Thrawn. I have never known you to back away from one."

 

"I have never had a child to protect before, sire."

 

"If Cas prevents you from doing your job, which is to protect the Empire, myself, and my line, then I have to insist you remove him from the Chimeara."

 

"I have no home to send to him, sire."

 

"I'm sure you'd think of something."

 

He growled and headed for the Princess's quarters.

 

Stepping into Carnelian's quarters was like passing into a different world. She was listening to electronic music on her stereo with the contents of a box of chocolates and anything that wasn't tied down floating through the air along with her. Thrawn felt the floor go out from under him as gravity suddenly decreased to near free-fall levels.

 

"Agent." She sighed. "What do you want?"

 

"Why did you fake a sudden bust of space sickness?"

 

"And don't tell me it was just because you were bored. You put men's lives at risk."

 

"No, I didn't. I was very careful to stage the incidents so that no one would be hurt."

 

 

"Then tell me why."

 

"You needed unscheduled shore leave. I came up with a reason to take it."

 

"That is not for you to decide."

 

"I'm the Crown Princess of an Empire that stretches across three quarters of the galaxy."

 

"Here you are an agent under my command."

 

"I want to be an Independent spec ops agent." Carnelian ground out.

 

"You are a child. You don't belong here, not yet."

 

"Then I want to go home."

 

"Take it up with your father. He already refused to transfer you."

 

"...Great. As usual, thinks he knows everything..." She turned a flip. "I wish I was on the Lady Ex."

 

"That makes two of us. You're scaring my son."

 

"I rattled some lights. How am I supposed to know what makes him wet the bed at night?"

 

"When you through floors, walls, ceilings, stand on ceilings, it scars him. He grew up on a war-torn world where rattling could mean tanks or bombs or any number of dangers." He sighed. "What will it take for you to behave without going through solid objects or reversing gravity?"

 

Everything that had been floating dropped to the ground suddenly.

 

Thrawn blinked. "What?"

 

"Have you got any idea what it's like to live with something crawling in your skull, begging to be let out?" Carnelian hissed through clenched teeth.

 

"Of course not."

 

"I phase through walls and reverse gravity because it doesn't take effort. It lets me get off my leash while not destroying or permanently altering the world around me."

 

He sighed. "Just... find something that keeps your out of my quarters and away from my son. Find all the faulty equipment or something, whatever isn't working properly and make a report of it all if you need to do it while going through walls and reversing gravity just do it away from Cas and my quarters."

 

"...You really don't like me, do you?" Carnelian looked over at her bookshelf. Thrawn noticed that all of the titles were brand new, untouched, and relatively recent literature. In fact, the room was tricked out. There was even a simulation set and a divided, marine fish tank as well as a small cage for mice. It looked better than his quarters.

 

"You scare my son, so... no not really. You are a child, yourself, you shouldn't have that uniform yet, let alone be here yet."

 

"So it's the uniform that's the problem." Carnelian boredly leaned on an elbow. "Have you heard of Multragassa?"

"The planet where the Emperor had his summit two years ago, yes." Thrawn replied.

"Did you hear that there was an attempt to kill the whole entourage using a Phase Six Leveler?"

Thrawn's eyebrows jumped.

 

"I hadn't."

 

"You wouldn't have. I stopped it. Not only did I stop it, I obliterated it."

 

He sighed. "It's not your uniform, it's your age, your immaturity."

 

"I'm thirteen. What do you want from me?"

 

"To not be here until you're older and more mature, but the Emperor seems to think you're in danger."

 

"Father thinks the future is set more often than not, but fate is fluid... and I don't care if I die."

 

"He cares."

 

"I don't."

 

"Maybe you should."

 

"Why?"

 

"Alive you can learn, grow, mature, and help the Empire. Dead you're just a memory."

 

"...I want to go home." Carnelian stated again.

The next morning, she had gotten her wish.

 

The Emperor, it seemed, had weighted on Thrawn's words and called her back to Coruscant. Thrawn was relieved. If she could mature and learn to actually take other people in account he felt she could do much better... just in the future.

 

Of course, because she was troublesome, and odd, she didn't leave on a shuttle. She simply disappeared and her father reported that she and her precious belongings were with him on Coruscant. The rest could be done with as Thrawn pleased.

 

There was an exception. It was the mouse cage. Apparently, while she had been there, her favorite mouse had had a litter. Thrawn had fallen heir to these pets.

 

He didn't dare take them, fearing Nimbus might be a little too interested. He had them shuttled down to the nearest planet to a shelter.

 

Starscream, of course, wanted to keep just one.

 

Thrawn finally relented when Nimbus didn't seem to care.

 

Starscream cuddled the little mouse. "Her name is Domino."

 

Thrawn had only one rule for Domino; she was not to have free reign of their quarters, she would be in her cage or ball. The last thing they needed was a mouse on the loose.

 

Starscream wove her a harness and promised to keep her on it when she wasn't in her home.

 

"No, Starscream, we can't risk her getting loose."

 

Starscream pouted and sighed.

 

"If she gets loose she could get hurt."

 

"So could Nimbus!"

 

"Nimbus is much bigger and wouldn't be mistaken for a pest and killed."

 

Starscream sighed and cuddled Domino. "Okay."

 

"I know it's not fair, but I don't want her getting hurt." "I know."

 

Thrawn nuzzled the Cybertronian.

 

"Want to help me plan decorations for Cas's party?"

 

"Yes!" Starscream's wings perked.

 

"Come on then." He put Domino her ball and let her run around it while he settled on Thrawn's shoulder to plan. Gilad had Cas for the afternoon, teaching him about Star Destroyers.

 

"And this is the brig. This is where soldiers who have been bad have their time-outs."

 

"Like the naughty chair?" "Yes." Cas had been to the naughty chair only once so far after flinging food at lunch the previous day, but Gilad had a feeling that due to how he grew up he was testing where boundaries were and seeing what certain actions either felt like or what reaction they gained. He was curious and growing more so as he became comfortable with them.

 

"Over here is the intelligence station. We can't go in: It's off-limits."

 

"Why?" the kitten asked curiously.

 

"Because that's where the secrets are kept and we can't risk them escaping."

 

"Ohhh, okay!" He smiled and ruffled the kitten's hair.

 

Cas purred and reached up. "Carry me?"

 

"Sure, kitten." He scooped up the little Neko. He was still quite small, and Gilad wondered if his growth was stunted a bit, though he was sure the kitten would grow well under Thrawn's care.

 

Cas purred and leaned on his chest.

 

Thursday finally arrived, and Max kept Cas busy swimming and playing games in his quarters while Thrawn, Gilad, and the Transformers set up for the party.

 

They were having it in the Officers mess, where there was plenty of room.

 

Officers and even some troopers were dropping off cards and a few gifts, and Thrawn smiled. In a short time Cas had become loved on the ship.

 

Starscream and Optimus pushed a centerpiece into place on the table.

 

"It's looking great," Gilad said. "I just hope Max doesn't run out of things to do with Cas before we're done." The Captain smiled. "Don't worry, Thrawn, he adores Cas, he'll keep him entertained."

 

"I'm not worried."

 

"You know Cas still needs a Carrier?" "Starscream, really?" "When it comes to sparklings Seekers are insistent," Optimus chuckled.

 

"Very insistent." Starscream nodded.

 

Thrawn sighed, and Gilad chuckled.

 

"Max is a good man."

 

"That's all you've got to say?"

 

"What more do you want me to say?"

 

"You're denser than a brick, even about your own feelings it seems."

 

"Starscream, please, not now."

 

"Fiiiiine, but we're not done with this."

 

Thrawn sighed.

 

At last they were ready."

 

Thrawn pinged Max to bring Cas to the party.

 

Max and Cas arrived minutes later. "Wooooow," the kitten gasped.

 

"Happy Birthday." Thrawn smiled.

 

He scampered to Thrawn for a hug, looking around at everything.

 

Starscream and Optimus waved. "Happy birthday, Cas!"

 

"Thank you! This is... cool!"

 

"You're welcome, Cas. What do you want to play first?"

 

"Play?" "Yes we have games?" "Ohhh. What games are they?"

 

"Pin the tail on the donkey, or pinata, or ring toss."

 

"What are those?" "Why don't we show him then let him decide, Thrawn?" Max suggested.

 

Thrawn took Cas around and showed him the various games. "Which do you want to try first?"

 

"Ummm. That one," he said, pointing to the ring toss.

 

Thrawn and Cas tossed rings together.

 

Finally they moved to the pinata. "I'd stand back, Thrawn, unless you want a bat to the crotch," Max warned.

 

"How bad can it be?"

 

"Well... don't say I didn't warn you," he said as Cas was spun around. The kitten swung in what he thought was the right direction, missed the pinata, and did in fact nail Thrawn right in the groin. The Chiss dropped immediately.

 

He bit his lip and groaned. "The other way, baby."

 

Cas pushed up the blindfold and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Daddy!"

 

"It's fine, darling." Thrawn kissed his head.

 

Max helped him up. "It's about that bad."

 

"Shut up, Max."

 

"You asked, and you got your answer. Remember, I've been through all this before."

 

Thrawn helped Cas find the pinata on the next try.

 

The resulting beating of the decorated cardboard animal was a little strange to him, but when it finally broke and candy spilled out his son's delighted giggles were enough to make him smile anyway.

 

Starscream and Optimus helped him gather up the treats.

 

Gilad came with a bag for them to put the sweets in, and a kitchen droid arrived with the pizza Max had sent an order to the kitchen for. Cas, Thrawn, and both Transformers were a little in awe of the odd looking food. A huge, round, flat thing covered in melted cheese and what appeared to circular slices of meat.

 

"... It smells good." Optimus told Starscream.

 

Max served them all some and took a bite of his own. Cas watched him then bit into his own piece. Thrawn watched him anxiously.

 

"Mmm!" Cas smiled.

 

Starscream and Optimus took their own bites. "Whoa! Thrawn, you need to try this!" He took a bite. It was a bread crust, with warm tomato sauce and a bit of seasoning, warm, gooey cheese, and the meat had a bit of spice to it but not too much."

 

"It's great, isn't it?" Starscream grinned.

 

"It is. Yet... so simple." Cas was devouring his piece.

 

"That's its charm."

 

Max looked down and grinned, putting a second piece on Cas's plate. "Try not to inhale it this time, kiddo."

 

Cas giggled and grabbed the second piece.

 

The cake was soon brought out. It was a round chocolate layer cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and cherries in the middle.

 

Starscream purred when Cas dug into the food.

 

The kitten was just finishing his drink of Sprite Zero when he belched and covered his mouth in shock.

 

Thrawn chuckled. "Someone has a gassy tummy."

 

"When that happens just say 'excuse me', kitten," Gilad smiled. "Excuse me."

 

Thrawn patted his ears. "You're excused."

 

"Ready for presents?"

 

Cas's ears pricked up. "Presents?"

 

Thrawn smiled and kissed his head. "Yes, baby, presents. You get presents on your birthday."

 

Cas smiled. "I'm ready for them."

 

"Okay." They assembled the gifts around the little Neko. "Cards first then you open the present with the card."

 

Cas opened the first card.

 

"Daddy, what's it say?"

 

"It says, to Cas from Uncle Gil. Happy Birthday."

 

"Thank you, Uncle Gil." He chuckled. "Open the present first then say 'thank you', kitten."

 

Cas began tearing off the wrapping paper.

 

It was a bike kit. "A bike?"

 

"A bike kit, so we can build you a bike to ride in the training room or where ever we can find a good free space for you to learn." "Cool! Thank you, Uncle Gil."

 

Starscream pushed over another box. "This one next!"

 

Cas took the card and handed it to Thrawn to read.

 

"To Cas, from Starscream and Optimus. Happy Birthday."

 

 

He tore off the paper while the two Transformers watched excitedly.

 

Inside was a small cat made out of cloth scraps from old uniforms.

 

The Neko picked up the toy and looked it over carefully.

 

Starscream and Optimus had sewn it together by hand.

 

He hugged it and then hugged them. "Thank you."

 

Starscream and Optimus hugged him back. "You're welcome."

 

He hugged it and then hugged them. "Thank you."

 

Starscream and Optimus hugged him back. "You're welcome."

 

"Thank you!" "You're welcome, baby." As they sat there watching Cas play with some of his new toys they all felt at peace and like the future was brighter. They would do everything in their power to ensure his future stayed bright.


End file.
